With less than 110 days remaining until the Paralympics in Milan-Cortina, Collinda Joseph, a wheelchair curler, is feeling more confident and liberated in her role as a lead player using a stick to deliver rocks on the ice. At the Beijing Games four years ago, Joseph, then 56, served as an alternate and contributed to Canada’s bronze medal by providing crucial feedback on rock behavior and boosting team morale during challenging moments.
Having claimed her first provincial championship in 2009 and her initial Ontario title as a skip in 2016, Joseph made her debut for Canada in 2019, marking the start of four world championship appearances. Reflecting on her experience as an alternate in China, Joseph expressed the challenges of not being in the forefront despite her competitive nature, emphasizing the difficulty of finding a meaningful role in such a position.
This time around, Joseph has been named as the starting lead for Canada alongside skip Mark Ideson, second Ina Forrest, third Jon Thurston, and alternate Gilbert Dash. Acknowledging her role as the lead at Milan-Cortina, Joseph feels more at ease with the prospect of making mistakes, knowing she has the chance to rectify them.
As an alternate, Joseph highlighted the struggle of maintaining confidence when uncertain about playing in the next game. With the absence of spectators due to the Covid pandemic, these Games will provide Joseph and Thurston, who is also participating in his second Paralympics, a unique experience of competing with their families present.
In a dramatic turn of events, Thurston secured a crucial victory for Canada in the 2022 bronze-medal match by executing a skillful takeout, scoring four points against Slovakia. Forrest, a veteran at 63, will be attending her fifth Paralympics, having previously clinched gold in Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014, followed by a bronze in Pyeongchang 2018.
Canada’s team, a blend of seasoned talent and close-knit camaraderie, is gearing up for the upcoming Paralympics in Milan-Cortina, aiming to continue their streak of success in wheelchair curling that dates back to 2006. The team’s relentless pursuit of excellence and dedication to enhancing performance sets a promising tone as they prepare to face Italy in their opening match on March 7.
